Fastening device

ABSTRACT

A device, for fastening together two portions of flexible bands such as belts, straps and bracelets, comprises a base, coacting tenon and recess coupling means provided selectively on the base and on one band portion, a cover secured on the base and slidable with respect to the base into a position in which it overlies the selective coupling means of the base to prevent uncoupling of the band portion, said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie the selective coupling means of the base, thereby to permit the band portion to be uncoupled, and means for coupling the other band portion to the base.

United States Patent Gowland FASTENING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Cyril James Gowland, White Gates", Hollytree Lane, Cuddington, Aylesbury, HP18 OBA, England [22} Filed: Oct. 29, 1973 [21 Appl. No.: 410,754

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 8, 1973 United Kingdom 6263/73 [52] US. Cl 24/166; 24/175 [51] A44B 11/22 [58] Field of Search 24/164, 166, 175, 176, 24/177, 181, 190, 265 WS, 230 AK [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,013,469 l/l912 Aufinson 24/166 1,018,880 2/1912 Cooper 24/175 Prinmry E.\'umilzerRobert L. Wolfe Assistant E.\'uminerKenneth .1. Dorner Attorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam Anthony Drucker [57] ABSTRACT A device, for fastening together two portions of flexible bands such as belts, straps and bracelets, comprises a base, coacting tenon and recess coupling means provided selectively on the base and on one band portion, a cover secured on the base and slidable with respect to the base into a position in which it overlies the selective coupling means of the base to prevent uncoupling of the band portion, said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie the selective coupling means of the base, thereby to permit the band portion to be uncoupled, and means for coupling the other band portion to the base.

4 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures /4 I 1 9 I I [ST-HO ll I 'i\v 1 I FASTENING DEV-ICE This invention relates to fastening devicesfor straps and bracelets, and its object is to provide a novel construction which is simple and robust in construction and which can readily be fitted and adjusted.

According to the present invention a device for fastening together two portions of a flexible band, such as a belt, strap or bracelet, comprises a base, a tenon or recess provided on the base to coact as coupling means with an associated recess or tenon of one band portion, a cover secured on the base and slidable with respect to the base into a position in which it overlies the tenon or recess of the base to prevent uncoupling of the band portion, said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie the tenon or recess of the base thereby to permit the band portion to be uncoupled, and means for coupling the other band portion to the base.

In one form, the means for coupling the other band portion to the base comprises another tenon or recess provided on the base to coact as coupling means with an associated recess or tenon of the other band portion, the cover being slidable with respect to the base into a position in which it overlies said other tenon or recess to prevent uncoupling of said other band portion, said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie said other tenon or recess thereby to permit the other band portion to be uncoupled.

Preferably, said cover is movable into an intermediate position in which it simultaneously overlies both of said tenons or recesses, and into first and second end positions in each of which it overlies a respective tenon or recess and does not overlie the other tenon or recess.

In order to permit adjustment of the length of the band, a plurality of recesses may be spaced in the longitudinal direction thereof for engagement of any selected recess by the tenon.

Preferably means are provided to act between the base and cover to limit the movement of the cover into at least one of its positions, said means being releasable to permit sliding removal of the cover off the base.

Three embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view, with a cover removed, of a first embodiment in the form of a belt buckle;

FIG. la is a partial plan view, to an enlarged scale, to show details of part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a is a longitudinal section, taken on the line (u-a) of FIG. 1, showing the belt buckled;

FIG. 2b is a transverse section, taken on the line (12-12) of FIG. I, with the belt buckled;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the buckle in closed position.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment in the form of a watch-strap buckle;

FIG. 4a is a partial plan view, to an enlarged scale, to show details of part of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment, in the form of a bracelet clasp, in open position;

FIG. 7a is a partial plan view, to an enlarged scale, to show details of part of FIG. 7;

.FIG. 8-is aside elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 7, with the clasp closed;

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation on the line IXIX of FIG.-8. y

-- In FIGS. 1 to 3, a belt has one end portion 1 secured to a buckle 2, and-the other end portion 30f the belt can be engaged releasably with the buckle 2.

The buckle 2 comprises a base 4 .with side walls 5, and a slidable cover 6 engaged by lips 7 in an undercut recess 8 in each of the side walls. I I

'The base 2 has a tenon 9 which is engaged through a hole 10 in the end portion 1, and also serves to secure to the base 4 a spring-metal tongue 11 carrying a transverse rod 12 having axially slidable end plungers 13a, 13b each springdoaded by a spring 'l3c. The cover 6 has a longitudinal slot 14- in which the plunger 13a rides. The'other plunger 13b bears against. the other side wall of the cover 6. The slot 14 has an upward notch l5 into which the plunger "13a 'is urged by its spring-metal tongue 11, to locate the cover 6 in its intermediate position. At the same intermediate position, the end of the plunger 13b engages in a dimple recess (15:!) in'the other side wall'of the cover. The plunger 13a can be disengaged'from the notch 15 by horizontal endpressure, horizontal end pressure of the cover relative to the base" which causes the plunger'l3a to ride downwardly out of the notch 15, with appropriate downward deflection of the tongue 11.

The base 4has'another tenon l6 engaged into a selected' hole 16a of the other belt portion 3 passed through an aperture 16b to the underside ofthe base 4'.

When the cover 6 is slid to the left as shown in FIG. 2a, thebelt portion 1 can beengaged and disengaged. When the cover 6 is slid to its fullest extent to the right in FIG. 2a, the belt portion 3 can be engaged and disengaged.

In FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the watch strap buckle has a base 17 the side walls 18 of which are embraced by side' walls 19 of a slidable cover 20. The base has a lug 21 engaged into a hole 22 of one strap portion 23, or the strap could wrap around a releasable transverse rod, to reduce dimensions. A tenon 24 engages into a hole 25 in the other strap portion 26. Each side wall 18 has a hole 27 receiving a plunger 28 urged outwards axially in a transverse rod by a spring (28b). One plunger 28 extends into a slot 28a in a side wall 19 of the cover, and limits the sliding movement of the cover. In FIG. 4, the cover overlies both of strap portions 23 and 26, the prevents them becoming disengaged. In the chaindotted position, the cover is moved clear of the strap portion 26 which can then be disengaged from its tenon 24. For attachment and removal of the strap portion 23, the cover is removed entirely by pressing in the plunger 28 until it clears the side wall 19, allowing the cover to slide completely off the base. The other plunger 28 may, in the position of FIG. 4, seat into a shallow dimple recess (28c) on the inside face of the side wall 19.

InFIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the bracelet clasp has a base 29 having edge recesses 30, 30 in which engage the inturned ends 31 of side walls 32 of a slidable cover 33. On the base there are two flanges 34 having a first pair of opposed holes 35 to receive plungers 36 carried by a transverse rod 37 and urged axially outwards by a spring (36a). One plunger engages into a slot 38 to limit the sliding movement. The other plunger engages into a shallow dimple recess (38a) in the other side wall 32. A second pair of holes 39 in the flanges 34 can receive similar plungers of a rod 40 securing one bracelet portion 41 to the base.

For movement of the cover to the right (in FIG. 7) to permit engagement of the bracelet portion 41 with the rod 40, the plunger ends are pushed manually inwards to disengage them from the side walls 32, or the portion 41 can be soldered on the base. or can comprise a solid transverse bar with threaded end shank.

The base has three slots 42 in which a tenon 43 on the bracelet portion 44 can be engaged according to the adjustment required. When the cover is closed (FIG. 8) the tenon 43 is locked in the slot 42.

in each embodiment the cover may have inclined walls to press resiliently against undercut side walls of the base. The slot 14, 280 or 38 may be open to the free edge along an intermediate portion, or may be replaced by a trough.

Tenons 9, 16, 24 and lug 21 may be punched-out tongues.

I claim:

I. In a device. for fastening together two portions of flexible bands such as belts, straps and bracelets. having a base member. eoacting tenon and recess coupling means provided selectively on the base member and on one band portion, a cover member having transversely spaced depending side walls. said cover being secured by said side walls on said base and being slidable with respect to said base into a position in which it overlies the selective coupling means of said base to prevent uncoupling of the band portion. said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie the selective coupling means of the base. thereby to permit the band portion to be uncoupled. and means for cou pling the other band portion to the base. the improvement which comprises resilient locating abutment means carried by at least one side wall of one of said members and biased away therefrom toward an adjacent side wall of the other of said members. locating recess means in a side wall of the other of said members cooperating with said resilient locating abutment means. said abutment means being movable with re spect to said side walls. said locating abutment means extending between said side walls. said locating abutment means and said locating recess means being disposed such that by relative sliding of said cover member with respect to said base member said locating abutment means may be caused to enter said locating recess means and thereby releasably retain said cover member in at least one position of sliding movement relative to said base member.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said locating abutment means is a rod carried by said base member and including a plunger axially slidable in an end thereof. and spring means urging said plunger in the direction to engage with said at least one side wall of said cover member.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said locating recess means is a dimple in said at least one side wall of said cover member.

4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said other side wall of the cover member is provided with an elongated slot. and said rod includes a second plunger which engages in and rides along said slot to determine the extent of relative sliding movement of said cover on said base. 

1. In a device, for fastening together two portions of flexible bands such as belts, straps and bracelets, having a base member, coacting tenon and recess coupling means provided selectively on the base member and on one band portion, a cover member having transversely spaced depending side walls, said cover being secured by said side walls on said base and being slidable with respect to said base into a position in which it overlies the selective coupling means of said base to prevent uncoupling of the band portion, said cover being also slidable into a position in which it does not overlie the selective coupling means of the base, thereby to permit the band portion to be uncoupled, and means for coupling the other band portion to the base, the improvement which comprises resilient locating abutment means carried by at least one side wall of one of said members and biased away therefrom toward an adjacent side wall of the other of said members, locating recess means in a side wall of the other of said members cooperating with said resilient locating abutment means, said abutment means being movable with respect to said side walls, said locating abutment means extending between said side walls, said locating abutment means and said locating recess means being disposed such that by relative sliding of said cover member with respect to said base member said locating abutment means may be caused to enter said locating recess means and thereby releasably retain said cover member in at least one position of sliding movement relative to said base member.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said locating abutment means is a rod carried by said base member and including a plunger axially slidable in an end thereof, and spring means urging said plunger in the direction to engage with said at least one side wall of said cover member.
 3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said locating recess means is a dimple in said at least one side wall of said cover member.
 4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said other side wall of the cover member is provided with an elongated slot, and said rod includes a second plunger which engages in and rides along said slot to determine the extent of relative sliding movement of said cover on said base. 